Ajijic resident George William Gonzalez died at home on August 26 at the age of 87.
Born January 22, 1925 in Oxnard, California, Gonzalez was a descendent of one of the first Spanish families to settle in Florida in the 1600s.
Gonzalez left high school in 1942 at 17 to join the U.S. Navy, working as a motor machinist’s mate during World War II. He helped with the clean-up of Pearl Harbor in Honolulu before joining the Navy Submarine Service, carrying out surveillance in the Asiatic and Pacific theaters. He was also trained as a hard-hat diver.
Gonzalez received submarine combat honors and a victory medal for his service before he was honorably discharged in 1946.
Gonzalez married Mary Catherine Holder of Mayfield, Kentucky in the spring of 1945 and the couple settled in Pensacola, Florida after Gonzalez’s discharge. He was a life-long member of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 366 and worked on the construction of many large factories and power plants in the Southern and Midwest United States.
Through the years, the Gonzalezes lived in Jacksonville, Florida, Plainview, Texas and Rock Springs, Wyoming. He enjoyed big game hunting in Wyoming, spear fishing, scuba diving and treasure hunting in Pensacola and owned his own Mexican restaurant in Rock Springs. He was made a 32nd degree Mason in 1980.
Moving to Roswell, New Mexico after his wife passed, Gonzalez owned and operated a Green Chili Pizza take-out restaurant.
He and his daughter traveled all over Mexico in 1992, camping in a travel trailer. They came back to explore Lakeside in 1997 and Gonzalez bought a home in Roca Azul where he lived for eight years before moving to Ajijic in 2004.
Gonzalez was a member of Abundant Life Assemblies of God Church, attended Open Circle regularly and was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He enjoyed his association with Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago.
He was predeceased by his wife Catherine in 1990, son Jeffrey Gonzalez in 1992 and siblings Robert and Ralf Gonzalez and Rachael Stephens.
He is survived by his daughter Annette Turner and her husband Paul Turner of New Mexico and son Scott Gonzalez and his wife Maria of Georgia. His four grandchildren are Todd Turner, Susan Turner Beaupre, Matthew Turner and Matthew Ziemar. He had four great-grandchildren: Tea, Cameron, Dylan and Aaron, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial celebration will be held Wednesday, October 17, 1 p.m. at Club 12, Marcos Castellanos 51-A in Ajijic. A potluck finger-food reception will follow. All who knew George are welcome.